Seam for shoe making



1967 1.. E. BERNIER ETAL 3,319,361

SEAM FOR SHOE MAKING Filed Dec. 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 1967 1.. E BERNIER ETAL 3,319,361

SEAM FOR SHOE MAKING Filed Dec. 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,319,361 SEAM FOR SHUE MAKING Louis E. Bernier, Rockland, and James P. Giblin, Milton, Mass, assignors to E. T. Wright 8; (10., Inc., Rockland, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed Dec. 22, 1964, Ser. No. 420,360 7 Claims. ((11. 36-45) This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 275,381, filed Apr. 24, 1963.

This invention relates to shoes and more especially to a simulated seam designed to enhance the appearance of the upper of a shoe.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a seam which simulates a hand-sewn butt seam without entailing the cost of such hand-sewn seams, which can be formed at various parts of the upper; which, in contrast with decorative means heretofore provided, does not project from the natural surface contour of the upper; which is superior in strength and durability to hand-sewn seams; and which can be formed by means of conventional lockstitch sewing machines.

As herein illustrated, the simulated seam is formed at the grain side of the leather upper of a shoe and is constituted by regularly recurrent alternating depressions and elevations in the surface which collectively form a continuous simulated seam on the outside of the upper, characterized in that no portion of the seam projects beyond that portion of the normal surface contour of the upper in which the seam is located. The inside of the upper has a continuous rib along which are sewn spaced rows of stitching having longitudinal components which parallel the rib and crosscomponents which pass through the rib and hold the latter constricted. In one form of the invention the cross-components are situated below the bottom of the depression and constitute, in conjunction with the upper material above them, the elevations. In another form of the invention, the cross-components cross the depression from one side to the other above the bottom and below the top and form in themselves the elevations. In still another form of the invention an incision is made lengthwise of the depression so that the cross-components extend across the depression from one side of the incision to the other. The portions of the incision between cross-components may gape slightly thereby augmenting the butt seam effect and may be stuffed with a filler.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the forepart of a shoe showing the simulated seam extending around the toe portion of the upper;

FIG. 2 is a similar elevation showing another form of simulated seam;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation, to much larger scale, of the seam shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevation, to much larger scale, of the seam shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section, to very much larger scale, taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1 where a cross-component is located;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section, to very much larger scale, taken on the line 66 of FIG. 1 between cross-components;

FIG. 7 is a vertical section, to very much larger scale, taken on the line 77 of FIG. 2 where a cross-component is located;

FIG. 8 is a vertical section, to very much larger scale, taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 2 between crosscomponents;

an upper showing the rib and stitching;

0 FIG. 9 is a plan view of the inside of the forepart of 7 3 ,3 19,36 1 Patented May 16, 1967 "ice FIG. 10 is a plan view of the forepart of an upper showing the grain side with the seam formed therein for making the shoe shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a corresponding view of the forepart of an upper for making the shoe shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary elevation of the inside of the forepart of an upper showing the rib and stitching sewn into the rib;

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 4, showing the gaps between the crossscomponents filled with stufling;

FIG. 14 is a vertical section corresponding to FIG. 7, wherein the grain side is not incised along the depression; and

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary elevation of the seam shown in FIG. 14.

The primary purpose of this invention is to make a simulated seam which looks like a butt sewn seam without requiring the use of separate pieces and hence of superior strength and on a conventional lock-stitch machine such as is available for shoe making purposes.

According to one manner of practicing the invention and of obtaining a product with the foregoing characteristics, a one-piece vamp 10, such as shown in FIG. 9, is marked on its flesh side 10a with a visible outline of the plug or tip by placing a pattern on the flesh side and drawing along the outline of the pattern with a marking device. The flesh side of the vamp is then presented to a lock-stitch sewing machine and a fold or rib 12 is sewn into the flesh side by stitching comprising spaced parallel, longitudinal components 18 and cross-components 16. By adjustment of the machine so that it makes five or six stitches per inch and by suitable adjustment of the tension, the rib 12 is raised exclusively on the flesh side by actual constriction of the flesh side which, in turn, pulls a continuous shallow depression 14 into the grain side 10b (FIG. 10), interrupted at regular intervals, corresponding to the spacing of the cross-components, by elevations 20 on the grain side rising from the bottom of the depression which are preferably of lesser height than the depth of the depression. The longitudinal components 18 of the stitching lie along each side of the rib and are visible at the flesh or inside. The cross-components 16 of the stitching are formed by interlocking loops, as shown in FIG. 12. The interlocking loops are embedded beneath the grain surface (FIG. 5) and raise the grain surface slightly, forming the elevations 20 referred to, which give the appearance of a seam on the grain side without a break in the surface and without projection of any part of the seam beyond the natural surface contour of the upper as will be seen by reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 6 which show the upper after it has been made into a shoe. FIGS. 5 and 6 are sections taken on the lines 55 and 66 of FIG. 1, show the formation of the seam as thus described with the shallow depression 14 on the grain side, the rib 12 on the flesh side and the interlocking cross-components 16 of the stitching buried in the rib and extending across from one side of the depression to the other beneath the bottom of the depression. The cross-components form puckers lengthwise of the depress1on.

Alternatively, the cross com ponents 16 may emerge from the grain or outer side of the upper within the depression 14, extending across the depression from one side to the other, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. The crosscomponents are thus visible on the grain side and accentuate the appearance of a natural sewn seam; however, they do not project beyond the natural surface contour of the flesh side, although they may be substantially flush therewith and blend with the natural contour of the upper.

To further accentuate the appearance of a butt seam, the seam may be made as disclosed in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8. According to this method, both sides of the vamp 10 are marked by the use of patterns and marking devices provide guide lines on which the seam is to be formed. After marking the grain side b the vamp is fed beneath a knife which makes an incision 22 (FIGS. 4 and 11) through the grain side 10b. Preferably, the incision is relatively shallow, penetrating only through the corium layer. However, the depth may be adjusted for different grades and weights of leather to as much as half the thickness of the upper material according to the final appearance wanted. Having incised the grain side, the vamp is presented flesh side to a lock-stitch sewing machine and the rib 12 is produced as before by sewing the lock-stitching into the flesh side. In this form the cross-components 16 emerge from the walls of the incision 22 to cross the bottom of the depression 14 below the surface of the grain as shown in FIGS. 4, 7 and 8 and are visible at the bottom of the depression. The crosscomponents elevate the upper material where they emerge and, in combination therewith, form the elevations 20 which, however, do not project beyond the natural surface contour of the upper as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

When the seam is located on a curved surface and under tension, the portions of the incision 22 between the cross-components may gap slightly as shown in FIG. 13. These gaps may be filled with a stulfing compound s.

Essentially the seam, according to each way of making,

is produced by forming a shallow depression in the finish or grain side of the upper by constricting the flesh or inside to form a rib or fold by means of lock-stitching sewn into the flesh side, the cross-components of which pass through the rib without emerging from the finish side beyond the natural contour of the surface of the shoe. In one form of the invention the cross-components are buried and in the other form they are visible within the depres- S1011.

In the forms of the invention in which the threads are visible they may be colored to provide a contrast to the upper material, or may be colored to blend with the upper material. The portions of the incision, as previously mentioned, may gape slightly between the crosscomponents and these exposed surfaces may be stained to blend with the upper. The gaps may, if desired, be partially or wholly filled with a stufling compound so as to seal the raw edges.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A simulated seam at the outer surface of a shoe upper comprising a continuous depression in the natural contour of the outer surface and having a continuous rib on the inner surface of said upper, regularly recurrent depressions of varying depths comprising said continuous depression, longitudinally spaced thread segments along each side of said rib and transverse thread segments joining the adjacent ends of said longitudinal spaced segments, said transverse thread segments extending through said rib and transversely of said continuous depression below the natural surface contour of the outer surface of said upper to form the depressions of lesser depth.

2. A seam according to claim 1, wherein the transverse thread segments cross said continuous depression from one side to the other beneath the bottom thereof and form in conjunction with the material of the upper the depressions of lesser depth than those depressions between said transverse thread segments.

3. A seam according to claim 1, wherein the transverse thread segments cross said continuous depression from one side to the other above its bottom and below the natural surface contour and constitute in themselves said depressions of lesser depth.

4. A seam according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the upper is incised medially along the depression, the transverse thread segments cross said continuous depression below the natural surface contour from one side of the incision to the other, and the incised surfaces between said transverse thread segments gap slightly.

5. A shoe upper according to claim 1, wherein the thread segments constrict the material in the rib where the transverse segments cross producing puckers on the surface of the upper at the outside between depressions of lesser depth.

6. A shoe upper according to claim 4, wherein the gaps are stufied with a filler.

7. In the exterior surface of a shoe upper, a narrow depression in the normal surface contour of the upper, said depression being constituted by displacement of the upper material from the grain face below the natural contour of the surface and formation of a rib at the flesh surface, and means holding the material displaced comprising thread stitched into the material of the upper at the flesh side through the rib, the cross-components of the thread producing elevation at the grain side within the depression, and at spaced intervals corresponding to the spacing of the cross-components, the apices of which are below the normal surface contour of the grain surface and which, in conjunction with the depressions therebetween, simulate a moccasin type scam in the upper.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,174,940 3/1916 Stetson 12-.32 1,521,853 1/1925 Augustine 36.-.11 1,848,821 3/1932 Blakely 69-2 2,207,977 7/1940 Finn 3611 X 3,126,853 3/1964 Maves 36-.11 X 3,187,703 6/1965 Fake 36-11 X FOREIGN PATENTS 473,340 7/1952 Italy.

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

A. GUEST, Examiner. 

1. A SIMULATED SEAM AT THE OUTER SURFACE OF A SHOE UPPER COMPRISING A CONTINUOUS DEPRESSION IN THE NATURAL CONTOUR OF THE OUTER SURFACE AND HAVING A CONTINUOUS RIB ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID UPPER, REGULARLY RECURRENT DEPRESSIONS OF VARYING DEPTHS COMPRISING SAID CONTINUOUS DEPRESSION, LONGITUDINALLY SPACED THREAD SEGMENTS ALONG EACH SIDE OF SAID RIB AND TRANSVERSE THREAD SEGMENTS JOINING THE ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID LONGITUDNAL SPACED SEGMENTS, SAID TRANSVERSE THREAD SEGMENTS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID RIB AND TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CONTINUOUS DEPRESSION BELOW THE NATURAL SURFACE CONTOUR OF THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID UPPER TO FORM THE DEPRESSIONS OF LESSER DEPTH. 